Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 6 - Part 10 of 14

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PRO00610
Australian
War Memorial

27.2.43.
Darling Kay,
Well here is the latest news and this is
your old man writing it. The first item is a grateful
acknowledgement of your letter of the 23^rd and as usual
I greedily scanned and assimilated the contents. So
pleased you're in good shape or is that an unfortunate
term to use in this case. Anyhow, its nice to
know you're well and able to toddle around a bit to
enjoy a spot of entertainment and visit your mates. Very
decent of Elaine to become a contributor to the
Richard Glory Box, she's a very decent girl and was
very stiff in her first venture. That jaunt to Q'land
forged a sort of bond between a lot of you brides
and its good fun to meet now and then to swap
yarns. I foreswore that picture 'Remember the Day'
when it was screened here so by all accounts I did
not miss much. I haven't been out for nearly a
week so my pursuit of amusement has been limited
by camp boundaries. You remember Herb Grassham
who was near me back in Pucka days? Well, he
was being married today so we had a bit of a
party last night and I enthusiastically lowered a
goodly quantity of the amber fluid. It had a very
gay spirit about it and I really enjoyed the bonhomie
and noise after the boredom Suffered during the
day. It was probably Harry Andrew you saw in

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town as he is down on compassionate leave owing to a
family bereavement I believe. The names of the lucky
blokes to go on the first leave party have been posted
so the residue hope we'll all be in the race too a bit
later. Of course, I shan't be pressing my claim yet
awhile but shall concentrate on getting my cut at the
appropriate time. In any case, I'm a mile down the
list and as they are giving 17 days this time, I've
months to wait in any case. The weather up here
is generally cooler, particular so at night when we
get under a blanket now instead of over it. I'd like
to pop under a blanket with you, sweet, and devote
an hour or two living instead like a husband and
not a monk. Now, if you were here, do you think you
would take pity on it me and assist me in my
efforts to find cast the inertia of the seen war-torn
routine out of my thoughts. So much for 'ifs'. However,
I'll make a note of my intentions and shall
descend upon you like a wolf on the fold at some future
date and if you spurn me I shall smack your bum
When you've sampled the champagne I suppose you can't
be blamed for yearning for more and we did have
such fun day and night when we were together.
Don't you worry your pretty head
about not feeling up to writing long letters as you do
a marvellous job now and you must ^not tire yourself by
writing when you feel out of sorts. That's an order,

3/
Gunner. I see you've had to make an adjustment in your
forecast of the big event so I shall be in evidence at
the right time, the state of the war, etc, permitting.
Naughty girl, making such a fuss about having to
gulp a quart or two a day of the lactic fluids. You
know its so good and nourishing for all young matrons
even for a wilful puddlikins. I hope that fills you with
indignation as I love you when you're wild. That was
always a good excuse to roll you on the bed, tickle
you and rumple your curls finishing up by implanting
a kiss on your soft lips which strangely enough seemed
to quieten your fierce struggles. And don't think the
dignified mantle of motherhood will save you from more
cavalier treatment at a later date. I still think of
you as a very snug bundle, lovely to make love 
to and you'll have to live up to that reputation 
or else. I guess we'll grow old soon enough and while
we are youthful, we must live like the young lovers we
really are. In years maybe we aint such kids but
actually we're just discovering one another and I promise
you to kid any staidness you try to impose on me 
right out of you, my dove. I'm writing a lot of bosh
tonight but I just feel as though you're near to me
right now and I shall be popping in to see you
in an hour and then we will go through all our
antics so dear to our hearts and then the shades
of night will steal over us sleeping blissfully side by side.

4/
Reluctantly, I shall have to bring this to a close as
there's some of that hateful practice due on in a few
minutes. So for a brief space, precious, I shall
wander in other paths but know my way back
to Bundle St very easily. Ta Ta my own darling
and I send you the love that's so big it
threatens to choke me - no kidding. Catch this
big kiss and pass a bit along to Richard.
Sweet dreams.
Micky

PR00610

Australian

War Memorial

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27.2 43

BRISBANE

Q'LAND AUST

12 MN

7 28 EB 7

1943

POSTED

PILLARS

Mrs. M. Billings
548 Barkers Road.            144
East Hawthorn.
Victoria

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PR00610
Australian
War Memorial

28.2.43
Darling Kay.
Another month is ending and as each passes
the liberty we both crave comes nearer as does the day
when the first of our noble line takes his or her place
among men.  I don't know how this letter will pan out
as its Sunday which means no letter from you, a very
valuable source from which I glean a good deal of
the stuff to enable me to fill a page or two.  So if
this meanders drunkenly along and finally disappears in
a maze of guff, be forbearing as the poor cow can't
help himself.  Now lets see what there is to say.  First,
the up to the minute news, Mass under the control of Fr
Humphries this morning, he was in good form and strongly
castigated the spiritually lazy.  Then morning tea at
T.R's, very informal gathering, the principal news gem was
Judy's latest accomplishment of four little pussies, also
alas, all now deceased from drowning.  You know, you
women aren't so hot after all, only managing one at a
time when the lower animals positively think nothing
of a dozen or so offspring a year.  To hark back to the
subject, luncheon was next partaken of and once a week
we do ourself well, Sunday at 12.30 and I tottered back
bloated and wheezing to the cot, there to allow the
process of digestion free rein.  No parade this afternoon
so then read and slept and got hungry again.  So at
tea I felt equal to demolishing five curried snags which

2/
appeased the appetite but am starting to feel peckish again
now but the canteen is no good now in the grub line so
shall have to starve, I fear.  A spot of work and then
the day's toil is over.  Too, too strenous.  So you have a
full report of the passing duties that keep me a thousand
miles away from you.  Ghastly, I calls it but thats
how it is.  And how are you, Mummy?  The satisfactory
condition still prevails I pray and you have strolled over to
my ancestral abode to nibble a chop or something with
Paw, Maw and such others as were available.  I must drop
Ma a line and pour a tirade of my usual nonsense into
her receptive ear.  I have a letter from John I must send her.
The Rowlings, as usual, enquired of
your well-being and were pleased you had reported good
progress.  Gran put her head out the window and sent
you her love.  The old lady is terribly fond of you and
talks as though you were her daughter.  So the catty
nature you oft apply to her yourself was not much in
evidence in that quarter and for myself I have never felt
oppressed by your dreaded malice.  Be guided by me in
that respect, for I've reason to know that anyone who
extended the glad hand and the kind word to you
never was rebuffed.  You're a very human creature, you know
and of course, have the faults as well as the virtues of
such a person, but your sweetness, fidelity, pluck
and generosity thrust your few faults well out of sight
and under stress, your charm has complete mastery.

3/
One of the advantages of not marrying unt until you've been
about a bit is that you can then discriminate between
the gold and the dross in people.  The heart does not entirely
dominate the head and when you marry, both parts
approve which is a good thing.  Any how thats how I feel
about you, my love is well salted with respect and
admiration, the sort that casts twentyfour hours a day.
I want to kiss you while you do your tasks in the kitchen
because youre a good wife to me then as well as at other
times.  I feel the same when you take pains to look your
best when we go out and while youre out and then on
the way home because you're such a sweet little lady,
and make your husband feel proud of you.  I love
you more than ever when we are alone for then you're
wife, mother and sweetheart all together and no one
could be anything but happy to be ^^the recipient of all that
love and joy and I am as happy in her happiness as in
my own.  It's as though a generous slice of life was
granted to me in a few short hours, can you wonder that
I love she who can engender that marvellous feeling
within me and rejoice that she is mine to travel with
down through the year, first as my lover, then the mother
of my child and the invaluable aid and comfort to
what efforts I shall be inspired ^^{to make} by her and  that
she has been for me.  Only too clearly can I see
why I love you and groan at the weeks and months
I am torn away from you.